Bubble producing and display means



Oct. 18, 1938.

D. J. DOLAN BUBBLE PRODUCING AND DISPLAY MEANS Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DAVID J. DOLAN Oct. 18, 1938. D, J AN 2,133,499

BUBBLE PRODUCING AND DISPLAY MEANS Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2mining: m. -8

INVENTOR DAVID J. DOLAN ATTOR EY6 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 27 Claims.

This invention relates to display effects and the means for producingthem, and more particularly to effects suitable for stage or advertisingdisplay and employing a mass of bubbles.

The objects of the invention are generally to provide novel apparatusfor producing such mass of bubbles, and to provide a most effectivedisplay of the mass.

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects andadvantages thereof will be apparent from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying conventionalized drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a perspective view partly in section, showing apparatusembodying the invention and arranged to provide a background simulatinga waterfall or like effect; Fig. 2 is a plan view in reduced size, of astage effect employing apparatus similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a typical section through a mass of bubbles produced with theapparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section showing a fabricemployable in another form of apparatus; Fig. 5 is a perspective partlyin section showing a form of apparatus employing a fabric such as thatillustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing anotherform of apparatus employing the same fabric; Fig. '7 is a view similarto Fig. l but indicating a modified form of apparatus; and Fig. 8 is anenlarged sectional elevation showing a detail of parts appearing in Fig.'7.

With reference now to the drawings and first to Fig. 1 thereof, l is acontainer of horizontally elongated form and maintained in an elevatedposition by any suitable means, not shown. The container has aforaminous upper wall part 2, and may be of sheet metal or the like,with its wall part 2 formed with small perforations as illustrated.Means such as a blower 3 suitably driven in any convenient manner suchas by a motor 3a, are provided for maintaining a pressure of air orother gas within the hollow of the container l. The container may have arearward upstanding portion into which the air is delivered and whichserves to distribute the air so that the perforations in the wall 2 willbe at substantially uniform pressure. At the forward edge of thecontainer and in the illustrated form comprising a part of the latter,is a sheet member 4 extended downwardly, with an offset part do, and atthe base of which is a trough-like receiver 5. A pump 6 driven as by amotor 6a is connected by the piping indicated to take liquid from thereceiver 5 and deliver it to a distributing pipe I disposed adjacent thewall 2 and perforated as indicated to cause the pumped liquid tomaintain the face of the wall 2 wetted by a layer of the liquid. A part,such as the upper extremity of the sheet member 4, extends slightlyabove the forward edge of this wall member, and similar means areprovided at its ends so as to retain this liquid against running off theface of the wall.

In operation of the apparatus a soap solution is provided in thereceiver 5, which by means of the pump 6 and pipe 1 is maintaineddistributed over the wall member 2 and the perforations therein. Theblower 3 being operated to maintain a pressure within the container I, aseries of bubbles is generated at each of the perforations so that afrothy mass of bubbles or foam is generated, which'mass overflows theupper edge of the sheet member 4 and wets its forward surface. Themember being of metal or similar material to which when wetted the massof bubbles will cling, the latter, clinging also to each other, willslide down the surface at the rate at which it is generated at the wall2 and will ultimately cover the forward surface of the sheet 4. Theoffset 4a, of which there may be several, assists in preventing portionsof the mass from separating in their downward travel. During such travelthe bubbles drain and eventually the liquid of their skins is collectedin the receiver 5 whence it is recirculated by the pump 6 through thecircuit described.

Under proper operating conditions of pump and blower to deliver properproportions of soap solution and air, but little liquid will collectwithin the container I. However, a pipe 8 having a U-bend 8a may bearranged as illustrated to drain the container without permitting escapeof air.

Obviously the necessary volume of air will be much greater than that ofthe recirculating soap solution and the size of the individual bubblesproduced will be dependent upon conditions such as the amount of liquidoverlaid upon the wall 2, the pressure maintained within the containerI, and the size of the perforations in the container wall 2.

If desired, the bubbles may be filled with smoke to give them anopalescent appearance and make their bursting visible, by the simpleexpedient of placing a smoke candle or equivalent smoke producer 31)adjacent the inlet of the blower 3, so that the blower will haveinspirator effect to draw in the smoke and deliver it within the bubblesbeing produced. Similarly, as where it is desired to lighten the mass ofbubbles, a gas pp y pipe may belocated adjacent the blower inlet, Theamount of smoke or gas thus intro-,

duced into the bubbles may be easily regulated by the adjacency of thesmoke candle or by regulating the amount of gas delivered by its supplypipe.

With reference now to Fig. 2, apparatus such as that in Fig. 1 isemployed to provide a mass of bubbles in the form of a wide sheet A, thesheet being of sufiicient height and width to have substantial area.Artificial trees 9 may be arranged at the sides of the sheet, and abackground l0 arranged behind the apparatus to be visible from above andat the sides of the mass of bubbles and painted to display rocks,foliage and the like,in such manner that the mass of bubbles will beperceived as closely simulating a waterfall. To make the latter lessuniform in contour, increase its appearance of motion, and generallyimprove the waterfall simulation, the upper extremity of the sheet 4 mayhave an uneven edge as indicated in Fig. 1.

Exceedingly beautiful and'startlingly brilliant effects may be producedby illuminating the mass of bubbles simultaneously from a pair of widelyspaced lamp means as at H and 12, Fig. 2, the lamps projecting differentcolors upon the mass of bubbles. The bubbles will then send backsparkling light to the observer in different colors and intensitiesdependent upon the angle of incidence from the lamps; The exactexplanation of the chromatic phenomenon is not known to me but perhapsresides in the fact that in such a mass of bubbles, as indicated in Fig.3, each contiguous pair is separated by a film disposed in a plane,these planes are disposed haphazardly at all conceivable angles, and actwith at least partially reflecting properties. At the same time the nearface parts of the outermostbubbles are convex, and probably somewhatdiffuse the reflected colors.

At any rate, where the lights H and l2 are colored and particularly ofdifferent primary colors, from any point of observation between them themass will at certain locations be predominantly one color, at others ofthe other color, and still at others of the resultant secondary color,the color and intensity difference in portions of the mass being thegreater the more uneven is the mass in contour.

The lamp means II and I2 may preferably be of such nature as to producecolor changes. Thus they may be provided with revolving color screensdriven to produce sequential color variations, as will be apparent.

I have found a mass of bubbles in the order of inch diameter to beeasily produced by apparatus such as illustrated in Fig. 1, employingair and a soap solution containing glycerine, and to be of verysatisfactory size for the color effects described.

A simpler and cheaper apparatus, however, one more easily transportedand less subject to damage, employs a container wall of fabric in placeof the perforated sheet metal above described. For the purpose I havesuccessfully employed a composite fabric such as'illustrated in Fig. 4,comprising an element l3a of wicking disposed between a pair of feltelements I3b, the elements being secured together as by stitching atintervals to form a single sheet unit l3.

The manner of employment of such fabric in apparatus of the nature ofthat above described, is illustrated in Fig. 5. An elongated closed bagI4 is made up of the fabric and a trough member l5 of sheet metal or thelike is provided for support of the bag, horizontally disposed inelevated position. An air supply line [6 leads into the bag and wiresl'l may be arranged at intervals to maintain the bag within the troughmember l5 when inflated. For supply of soap solution, a distributingpipe l8, suitably perforated, is arranged within the bag to spray itsinner surface with soap solution. The arrangement of jets in the pipe I8is not critical as the capillary action of the fabric of the bag will initself have strong tendency to maintain a uniform wet distribution amongits fibers.

Once the bag is thoroughly wetted with the soap solution by the pipe l8and air is supplied through the line l6 -it being understood that thesesupply arrangements may be provided as already described in connectionwith Fig. 1, a mass of bubbles will be generated on the outer surface ofthe bag. The trough member l5 be ing formed as illustrated, to deliverthis mass in a forward or other common direction, the mass will take theform of a sheet generally as before, of width equal to the length of thebag l4, and of maximum thickness determined by the opening of the trough5. Where a waterfall is to be simulated, a curtain 19 of flexiblewaterproof material such as rubber or oilcloth, may be arranged todirect the downward advance of the mass of bubbles generally as alreadydescribed in connection with the rigid sheet 4. Such curtain has theadvantages that 'it may be maintained in some motion during operation ofthe apparatus as by a stream of air from behind, to give movement to thebubble mass upon its surface and thus improve the simulation, and alsomay be rolled up for convenient transportation. The curtain may be hungupon a rod 20 over which a lip l5a on the bag-supporting trough l5rests.

The use of the fabric lends itself to easy production of simulation ofmany different objects. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the body part ofa swan or duck is outlined by arranging a bag 2| upon a form or frame 22of wire or the like, the body being provided with imperforate head andlegs so that the bag surface is located where the feathers would appear.Air being supplied through the pipe 23 and soap solution through thespray pipe 24 after the manner of the apparatus in Fig. 5, and thefabric of the bag being of fine mesh, the outer surface of the bag maybe covered with a thin layer of frothy foam strongly suggestive of whitefeathers.

Another simulation, not illustrated but which has been successfullymade, is that of stalactites and stalagmites, these being producedsimply by vertical disposition of an elongated bag. As will be apparent,other bag shapes may be employed to represent other objects, all withinthe scope of this invention.

With reference now to Fig. '7 of the drawings, a form of apparatus isshown suitable for a purpose similar to that of Fig. 1 and employing afabric bag as in Fig. 5.

In the apparatus here illustrated, however, means are provided forreducing the bubble mass produced by the bag, back to its gaseous andliquid components. To this end a container 30 having an elongated mouthscreened as at 3|, is provided with the trough-like structure indicatedleading to this mouth, the whole being located at the foot of the bubbledirecting wall 32; so that the mass of bubbles produced at the surfaceof the bag will travel over the surface of the wall 32 and onto thescreen 3! within the trough. The blower 33 which serves the air inlet 34of the bag has connection with the the soap solution liquid generally asin Fig. 1,

withdrawing this liquid from a connection at the lower part of thecontainer 30 and delivering it to the distributing pipe 36 within thebag, by the connections illustrated.

It will be evident that during operation of the blower 33 and pump 35,the bubble mass produced at the bag and ultimately progressing to thetrough bottomed by the screen 3|, will be pulled into the screen by thesuction effect of the blower 33. The mesh of the screen beingsufficiently fine that the bubbles will burst rather than be drawnthrough the screen, it will be apparent that not only is the soapsolution liquid recirculated and practically entirely conserved, butalso even the gaseous contents of the bubbles is recirculated as well,and the accumulation of bubbles at the base of the apparatus is limited.Thus this form of apparatus is superior where operation must be had in aconfined space.

To improve the simulation of a waterfall as above described, I hereprovide means for producing a few bubbles of large size adjacent the bagwhich produces the mass of small bubbles, these large bubbles beingpreferably filled with gas so that they will rise somewhat as a mistfrom the falls.

For this purpose I arrange a container 31 for soap solution above thebag, with means such as the pipe 38, valved at 39 to be fed from thepump 35, whereby this container may receive a controlled amount of soapsolution from the liquid system of the apparatus. Associated with thiscontainer 31 are a number of nozzle pipes 40 directed outwardly of thecontainer and for each pipe 40 a gas supply pipe 400.. Within thecontainer such pipe means are so related as to provide therebetween anarrow annular opening 41 beneath the surface of the soap solution. Ablower 42 is arranged to serve all the pipes 40a as by the headerindicated in Fig. 7, by delivery thereto of a gas lighter than air, amixture of such gas and air, or simply air. Preferably each nozzle pipe40 is threadedly mounted to adjust the size of its opening 4| asindicated in Fig. 8.

When the container 31- is provided with soap solution and the blower 42is operating, large bubbles will be produced at the mouths of the pipes40, a series of such bubbles from each pipe, and these large bubbleswill rest upon the mass of small bubbles produced by the bag, or risefrom the latter, dependent upon their gas content. By closing the valve39 while the blower 42 is operating, the nozzles 40 may be employed toblow the bubble mass from the bag instead of themselves producing largebubbles.

I have found the apparatus illustrated particularly in Fig. 8, to bevery effective in producing surprisingly large bubbles. The gas flowthrough the nozzle draws in soap solution through the orifice 4|, sothat as the bubble being produced becomes larger, its skin is fed withsoap solution. Obviously the greatest size of bubble will be producedwith this apparatus when the latter is disposed to deliver its bubblesdownwardly instead of to the right as illustrated.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having aforaminous wall located higher than the container bottom, means formaintaining said wall wet with a film of soap solution to provide soapfilms at its foramens, and means for supplying a gas under pressurewithin said container to produce a mass of bubbles at the outer surfaceof said wall.

2. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having afabric wall, means for maintaining said wall wet with a soap solution,and means for supplying a gas under pressure to said container toprovide a mass of bubbles upon the outer surface of said wall.

3. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a.container having aforaminous wall, means for maintaining said wall wet with a soapsolution, means providing pressure within said container to produce amass of bubbles at the outer surface of said wall, and means pro vidinga stepped path for said bubble mass leading downwardly from said wall.

4. Apparatus for the purpose described and comprising a container havingan upwardly facing foraminous wall, means providing pressure within saidcontainer, means for maintaining said wall wet with a film of soapsolution to produce a mass of bubbles at the outer surface of said walland including means for draining said bubble mass and for returningtheir soap solution to said wall.

5. Apparatus for the purpose described and comprising a container havinga foraminous wall, means providing pressure within said container, meansfor wetting said wall with a soap solution to produce a mass of bubblesupon said wall, means providing a path for said bubble mass leading fromsaid wall, means for draining said container, and means for deliveringthe drained soap solution to said bubble mass on said path.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a container having aforaminous wall, pump means providing pressure within said container,means for wetting said wall with a soap solution to produce a mass ofbubbles at said wall, means providing a path for said bubble massleading from said wall, means for draining said path and including areceiver for the recovered soap solution, and pump means for returningsaid recovered solution to said wall wetting means.

'7. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising an elevated containerhaving a horizontally elongated foraminous wall, means for maintainingsaid wall wet with a soap solution, means providing pressure within saidcontainer to produce a mass of bubbles at said wall, and means having asurface over which said bubble mass may advance downwardly in sheet formfrom said wall.

8. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having afabric wall, means for spraying said wall with a soap solution, andmeans providing pressure within said container to produce a mass ofbubbles upon said wall.

9. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having afabric wall, means within said container for spraying said wall with asoap solution, and means providingpressure within said container toproduce a mass of bub-bles upon said wall.

10. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having afabric wall of substantial area, frame means for supporting said wall,means within said container for spraying said wall with a soap solution,and means providing pressure within said container to produce a mass ofbubbles upon said wall.

IL'Apparatu's for the purpose described comprising a fabric bag, meansfor wetting said bag with a soap solution, and means for inflating saidbag to produce a mass of bubbles upon its outer surface.

12. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a fabric bag, meanswithin said bag for spraying its inner surface with a soap solution, andmeans providing pressure within said bag to produce a mass of bubblesupon its outer surface.

13. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a frame, a fabric bagfitting about said frame, means within said frame for spraying the innersurface of said bag with a soap solution, and means providing pressureWithin said bag to produce a mass of bubbles upon its outer surface.

14. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising a container having afabric wall, means for praying portions of said wall with a soapsolution, said fabric being sufiiciently absorptive to distribute saidsolution to portions not touched by the spray, and means providingpressure Within said container, said fabric being sufficiently porous toproduce a mass of bubbles upon its outer surface under said pressure.

15. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising container meanshaving a finely foraminous surface arranged to produce and retain acoating of small bubbles, sufficient to maintain said surface invisible.

16. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means providing amass of bubbles, and means for displaying said mass and including meansfor illuminating said mass simultaneously with widely separate colorsfrom different locations.

17. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means providing forgeneration of a mass of bubbles at a rate sufficient to maintain saidmass and impart motion to its constituent bubbles, and means forilluminating said mass simultaneously with different colors fromlaterally opposite locations.

18. In apparatus for producing bubbles and including blower means forsupplying the bubble blowing pressure, said blower means having an airinlet, smoke producing means located adjacent said inlet whereby saidblower means may have inspiration effect upon the smoke.

19. In apparatus for producing bubbles and including blower means forsupplying the bubble blowing pressure, said blower means having an airinlet, gas supply means located adjacent said inlet whereby said blowermeans may have inspiration effect upon the gas therefrom.

20. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means for producingbubbles from liquid and gaseous components, and means for reducing saidbubbles into said components, and including a container having a mouthdisposed in the path of said bubbles, means providing a vacuum withinsaid container, and a screen disposed in said mouth to cause saidbubbles to burst While permitting their said components to be drawn intosaid container.

21. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means for producingbubbles from liquid and gaseous components, means for reducing saidbubbles into said components, and means for returning said components tosaid producing means and including pump means having outlet connectionto said bubble producing means and inlet connection to said bubblereducing means.

22. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means for producing amass of bubbles from liquid and gaseous components, means for displayingsaid mass, means for reducing said mass into said components, and meansfor returning said components to said producing means and including pumpmeans having outlet connection to said bubble mass producing means andinlet connection to said mass reducing means.

23. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means for producingbubbles from liquid. and gaseous components and including separate pumpmeans for said components, means for reducing said bubbles into saidcomponents and including a container for said components, and meansconnecting said container to said pump means for returning saidcomponents to said producing means.

24. Apparatus for the purpose described comprising means for producingbubbles from liquid and gaseous components and including pump means forsaid gaseous component, means for reducing said bubbles into saidcomponents and including a container for said components, meansconnecting an upper part of said container with the inlet of said pumpmeans, and means including a liquid pump arranged to deliver said liquidcomponent from a lower part of said container to said bubble producingmeans.

25. Means for producing large bubbles and comprising pipe means arrangedto provide a gaseous component, said pipe means having a mouth and anopening distributed thereabout adjacent said mouth, and means providinga supply of liquid soap solution at said opening for passagetherethrough into said pipe means, and therein about said gaseouscomponent.

26. Means for producing large bubbles and comprising pipe means arrangedin two adjacent

